Halloween Safety Tips for Pets

I can smell a whiff of mischief in the air. It’s Halloween season! Halloween is such a fun-filled season for kids and adults, but it can be a very scary time for your pets. It’s so important to consider your pets on Halloween. Many thanks to Rachael Ray Nutrish for sponsoring today’s discussion about Halloween safety tips for pets.

My dog, Winston, has had some fun on Halloween in the past. A few years back he enjoyed trick-or-treating in his Spider Man costume. Now that Winston has a timid little sister, Lilly, we try to keep Halloween a bit more low key for the family pets.

Here are few Halloween safety tips for pets to help keep your pet safe and stress-free:

1. Keep your pets indoors on Halloween. Sadly, animals (especially black cats) are at risk for cruel treatment by some Halloween pranksters. It’s best to keep your pets indoors, preferably in a quiet room away from the door where you will be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.

2. Just in case your pet slips out, be sure your cats and dogs are easily identified by a microchip, collar and ID tag.

3. Keep treats out of reach. Candy and Chocolate are a big no-no for pets. Chocolate and xylitol, a sweetener found in some candy, can be very toxic for pets. Lollipop sticks can be a choking hazard. Be sure all Halloween candy is outside of your pet’s reach. It’s a good idea to have a discussion with your children about the danger in letting your dog or cat have candy.

4. Be cautious with pet costumes. Most dogs and cats are happiest wearing nothing but their birthday suits. M dog, Winston, doesn’t seem to mind wearing a costume. Lilly, on the other hand, gets very upset if you try to put clothes on her or Winston.

If your pet will tolerate a costume, be sure to avoid masks and anything that covers the ears or eyes, or might get tangled in your pets legs. Check the costume for possible choking hazards, and make sure your pet can move freely and is comfortable.

5. Halloween decorations, especially jack-o-lanterns and candles, can be harmful to your pets. Please be mindful of potential dangers when putting up your Halloween decorations.

Why we LOVE Rachael Ray Nutrish!
Winston and Lilly absolutely love the taste of Nutrish dog food and treats. I love that it is made with healthy, natural ingredients. Rachel Ray created Nutrish Super Premium Food and Treats for dogs and cats working with a team of pet nutrition experts. The recipes which are inspired by tasty recipes from Rachael’s kitchen, contain no by-products, fillers, or junk ingredients. Plus Rachael’s proceeds help animals in need. Pretty awesome, right?

Great tips! I don’t have any fur babies but when I did I made sure to keep them indoors. Too many bad things can happen to pets on Halloween and that isn’t including cruel things people will do to them but they can get spooked, get ran over, etc.

This is such a great post. Everyone always focuses on child safety at this time of year, and that IS super important. We forget that Halloween can be just as dangerous – if not more so – for the varmints.

I really love my pets but I have never taken them trick or treating. Never saw the need when I was younger and now that I am older, because kiddo has 2 older bro and sis and a younger sis she spends Halloween with them instead of me and her dad. I do have a small dog and 2 has two Halloween costumes. One is a Captain America and the other is Wonder Woman.

Great tips! When I was newly married and pregnant a large group of kids came to the door. Well one of them picked up my miniature poodle when I turned around and put her in his treat bag. Yes, he stole my dog! She was gone two weeks before the little boys Grandma discovered her in his closet. He was feeding her left over table food. Luckily we had knocked on there door after she went missing and given her a flyer. She realized it was our dog and went looking for our flyer. I was so happy to have her back!

Another tip is to have your pet in the room when your getting ready and putting on your costume. Our dog Nellie totally freaked out when my son walked in wearing his Slenderman costume. (Frankly, so was I!) She started barking and I thought she was going to attack him! On Halloween night, I made sure she was there as he put the costume on. I had her sniff the costume and had my son talk to her as he put it on so she wasn’t scared of him.

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The 411 On Us

Hi, I'm Angela, founder and content creator at About a Mom. I live in sunny Florida with my 10-year-old little girl. If you are seeking ideas and inspiration for family fun, mealtime, travel, or fun things to do in Florida, you will find it here. Please take a moment to explore this blog, check out my 'About Me' page or drop me a note.